BARRON, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin man has pleaded guilty to kidnapping 13-year-old Jayme Closs and killing her parents.
21-year-old Jake Patterson pleaded guilty Wednesday to two counts of intentional homicide and one count of kidnapping. A count of armed burglary was dropped. The intentional homicide counts carry a sentence of life in prison.
Patterson admitted to kidnapping Jayme after killing her parents, James and Denise Closs, at the family's home on Oct. 15. Patterson held her at a remote cabin for 88 days before she escaped in January.
A criminal complaint says Patterson told authorities he decided to "take" Jayme after he saw her getting on a school bus near her home.
Patterson wrote in a letter to Minneapolis' KARE-TV this month that he intended to plead guilty.